


Capitalis

by lavolpe (lykxxn)



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - No Assassins/Templars, Blood Bond, Bonding, Eagle Vision (Assassin's Creed), Elemental Magic, F/M, Ghosts, Immortality, M/M, Magic-Users, Necromancy, Seers, Sorcerers, Telekinesis, i've literally redone c1 so you might want to reread it, read: bonding not bondage, soulmates but not soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-06-05 14:03:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6707245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lykxxn/pseuds/lavolpe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>‘You don’t understand!’ came La Volpe’s voice from the other side of the door. ‘Ezio is the one! I know it.’</i><br/>‘I don’t see what you are seeing,’ said Uncle Mario in a strained voice. ‘He is just a child.’<br/>‘Indeed,’ Volpe said softly. ‘He is<i> just a child, but without him, we will all die.’</i></p><p>When young Ezio’s father and brothers are murdered, he and his sister are locked in a war they had no idea existed. The magical world that was once their father’s home has suddenly become theirs, and with the help of a few odd characters such as the immortal fox and the welder Leonardo, they discover their own magical abilities.<br/>What at first seems like a wondrous world becomes a world fraught with danger, thanks to the telekinetic sorcerer Rodrigo Borgia, who has trapped his people in a frightening dictatorship. If they destroy him, it will mean freedom for thousands of magical beings throughout Italy.</p><p>If they fail, there will be immeasurable consequences far beyond their own existence.</p><p> </p><p>  <b>Chapter One has been edited as of 27/5/16!</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	Capitalis

Leonardo’s heart beat against his chest as he forced himself to work despite the exhaustion in his body. _Pendant_ was the simple word that Giovanni Auditore had scrawled on his commissions paper. There was no description, and it left Leonardo puzzled. Most of his customers requested a certain shape or theme, and Giovanni had written down neither. What did he want the pendant to look like? Who was it even _for_? Giovanni was already Bonded to his wife, Maria, so the only left one of his four children. Leonardo was concerned about who the child would Bond to, since arranged Bonding was as illegal as arranged marriage – namely, punishable by imprisonment.

But Leonardo did not think Giovanni would do such a thing. He _knew_ the Auditore family. They would not have asked him to weld a pendant for one of their children without a legitimate reason. If only Giovanni had left some clues about who it was for; then Leonardo would know what sort of shape he could fashion the pendant into.

The welder groaned in frustration. He stared at the lump of metal on his welding table; the lump of metal stared blankly back, offering him neither help nor ideas. Now, if this was Petruccio, the youngest, he would weld a mouse; if this were Federico, the eldest, he would weld a sword; if this were Claudia, the Auditores’ only girl, he would weld a flower. However, if this were Ezio, the middle son, he would take inspiration from the welder who made Giovanni’s ring and weld a lion.

Leonardo, suddenly struck with inspiration, pulled on his welding gloves. Letting himself become lost in his work, warmth flowed through his veins and tingled at his fingertips, and unconsciously he began to shape the metal. Something grasped at him from deep within, emotions grabbing and pulling as they became part of the metal.

 

~ Love. Freedom. Power. Betrayal. Family. Hope. ~

 

It was over three hours later when Leonardo finally finished the pendant. It was a fine and noble eagle. Cupping the metal in his hands, he felt it get warmer and warmer still until he deemed it complete, and the welder hooked it onto a leather necklace. Leonardo smiled, admiring his handiwork. It would make a good pendant. He just hoped whoever wore it put it to good use. He had heard too many awful stories of people Bonding to others who had betrayed their trust.

* * *

 

The next day led Leonardo through the Florentine streets towards the _Palazzo_ Auditore. Leonardo was well-known amongst those with magical blood, and he was greeted by no less than ten people on his walk, one of those being the owner of the local brothel, a dark-haired woman with a strange ability – one that could lure men into her brothel without so much as a second glance – that Leonardo had yet to uncover.

Outside the _palazzo_ were the Auditore brothers, Ezio and Federico, who were playing with a few marbles. Upon looking at the younger of the two, Leonardo was suddenly struck with an emotion so strong that he stepped back, and his grip on the pouch containing the pendant tightened. He didn’t know how, but he just _knew._

He had never met any of Maria and Giovanni’s children before, but he’d heard a lot about them thanks to their frequent visits to his studio – he was not just a welder; he often painted using a mixture of magical and non-magical paints, and his heat sorcery to add a little personal touch to his paintings – and Giovanni had recently confessed his fear that none of his children possessed any _serious_ magical abilities.

Leonardo felt now that this was not true. Although there was a huge, huge difference between not having serious magical abilities and having no magical ability at all, Leonardo knew that buying a pendant for a non-magical child was almost unheard of. The only reason _Maria_ possessed a ring and had Bonded with Giovanni was because he was magical, although barely.

Leonardo, still looking at the boy, was in shock. Despite the diminishing magical ability in the Auditore family, Ezio possessed a form of magic. He had no idea what type; only time would tell, but Giovanni sensed it the way he did, and he had requested a pendant.

Leonardo figured now would be a good time to introduce himself. ‘Hello boys,’ he said softly. Immediately, Ezio shoved his marbles into his pocket and pulled out a hand in greeting.

‘Hello,’ he said, a childish grin on his lightly freckled face. ‘I’m Ezio. My father is in his office, I think. I can take you to see him.’

Federico snickered, but Leonardo was too fixated on the boy to take notice. Indeed, if this boy didn’t have magic, then he may as well retire.

‘No, no,’ said Leonardo quickly. ‘I’m not here for your father. Actually, I’m here to see you.’ Leonardo smiled gently as Federico came over in curiosity. ‘I have something for you.’ And he passed the pouch over to Ezio, who took it in confusion.

The thirteen-year-old pulled at the strings and took out the pendant. He screwed up his eyes and stared at the eagle on the end of the necklace.

‘What’s it for?’ he asked bluntly.

‘Ezio!’ hissed Federico. ‘That’s rude; say _grazie_!’

‘No, no, it’s fine,’ laughed Leonardo. ‘It’s a pendant, Ezio. Your father asked me to make it for you. Why don’t you try it on?’

Ezio put the pendant around his neck and, with some help from his brother, tied it at the back. Rubbing the eagle with his thumb and index finger, he asked, ‘Why is it so warm? Isn’t metal supposed to be cold?’

‘Ah, you’re very clever, Ezio. Yes, metal _is_ supposed to be cold, but this pendant works differently. You see, it’ll be warm whenever I am near, but it’ll get colder as I go further away. At the moment, your pendant is Unbonded – meaning you haven’t Bonded with anyone yet – so it reacts to me, because I’m the one who welded it. When you find someone that you love or trust more than anything in the world, you can come to me and I will Bond your pendant to that person.’

‘Cool,’ whispered Ezio in awe. Federico’s brows were furrowed in confusion.

‘Ah, Leonardo, I see you’ve met my sons,’ came a familiar voice, and Giovanni Auditore stepped out from the _palazzo_ courtyard and into the street. Instinctively, Leonardo’s eyes moved down to his right hand to where his ring was, the lion engraved into the silvery metal a stark white, showing that Maria was close by.

‘Giovanni,’ he cried in greeting. ‘I was just giving Ezio his pendant. I hope it is to satisfaction.’

Giovanni took a look at the pendant around his son’s neck, being careful not to touch it. ‘An eagle,’ he murmured, his voice having taken on the tone of admiration. ‘Leonardo, you never fail to impress me.’

Leonardo chuckled awkwardly, aware that his face was reddening in embarrassment. He’d never liked compliments. He doubted he ever would.

‘I—I must be going,’ he said quickly. ‘I am busy with commissions.’ As he turned to leave, he warned Ezio, ‘Do not try to take off the necklace.’

Nodding in farewell, he hurried down the street and disappeared into the crowd. Those of magical blood had a way of doing so, and neither the boys nor their father could see him after a few seconds, so they went inside the _palazzo_ , Federico picking up a marble he’d dropped on the way.

There was one thing that Leonardo was most certain of: The Auditore family would do just fine.


End file.
